The problems of providing and guaranteeing a safe, nutritious, and abundant food supply--as the demand for processed and convenience foods increases in a rapidly expanding, highly urbanized population--pose significant problems and challenges to food scientists and technologists. The solution to these problems, which are beginning to tax the ingenuity of the food industry, can be achieved only through expanded research programs and increased training of qualified food scientists and technologists. In addition, the national deep concern over food safety has brought new emphasis to the matters of food additives, natural and induced toxicants, microbial contamination, quality assurance, nutrient changes in processing and storages, etc. It can be presumed, therefore, that more and better trained manpower will also be needed to respond to these problems and to new food safety regulations, consumer protection measures, and unforeseen emergency situations that jeopardize the safety and integrity of the nation's food supply. It is within this context of virtually certain need and far less certain knowledge that the Food and Nutrition Board proposes to undertake a critical study in order to: (a) evaluate the research needs in these problem areas; (b) establish the priorities that might be followed in seeking additional information required in the future, and the avenues of research most likely to uncover such information; (c) estimate--within a practicable level of precision--the present manpower supply and the optimum corps of scientists and technologists; (d) determine what the most undermanned specialties are; and (e) make assessments as to the kinds and numbers of persons essential to meet the needs of the next decade or so.